Brian Pugh: Community Choice Aggregation represents a rare win-win for all of Croton’s residents

With the appointment of an EPA administrator committed to canceling the Clean Power Plan, climate action in the US is the responsibility of local communities and states. Locally, one of the easiest and most economical means of combatting climate change is to participate in the Community Choice Aggregation program administered by Sustainable Westchester, a nonprofit consortium of local governments.

Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is a policy that enables local governments to aggregate electricity demand within their jurisdictions in order to procure renewable energy supplies while maintaining the existing electricity provider for transmission and distribution services. There are many reasons that a community may choose to develop a CCA program, including the option to purchase more green power, reduce electricity cost, and secure power from more local sources.

The CCA run by Sustainable Westchester supplies 100% renewable energy for local customers below the 2015 Con Edison average price. Since the launch of the program in 2016, from Ossining to Hastings, participating communities have been saving money and supporting renewable power. For these efforts, the Sustainable Westchester CCA has won awards from the EPA.

Our Village declined to participate in CCA at the start of 2016, in a party line vote. However, recent communication between the Village of Croton and Sustainable Westchester suggest that it’s still possible for Croton to join the program.

Community Choice Aggregation represents a rare win-win for all of Croton’s residents: it will help protect our environment, expand choice, and save money—all at a low fixed price. Therefore, I hope that our Village will pursue this opportunity with all deliberate speed.